tamed09
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Post by tamed09 on Sept 17, 2016 13:27:18 GMT -5
Those numbers are disgusting
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Honeymoon
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Post by Honeymoon on Sept 17, 2016 13:31:19 GMT -5
I expected around 50k, maybe more. I'm pretty sure a 2016 Leona Lewis album could do more.
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Sir Benji
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Post by Sir Benji on Sept 17, 2016 13:37:13 GMT -5
The numbers are horrible
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music89
Gold Member
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Posts: 660
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Post by music89 on Sept 17, 2016 13:41:53 GMT -5
There are a lot of other artists who have made great RnB music this year tho. But they aren't popular. Anderson .Paak, Corinne Bailey Rae, Maxwell, Robert Glasper, We Are KING...and I can go on. Sorry, I should have rephrased to say Mainstream R&B. And...despite liking maybe 5 songs total on blackSUMMERSnight, I just am not that much of a fan of Maxwell's voice (on this album) like I am with Usher's Maxwell latest album wasn't GREAT like his first albums but it's still better than Hard II Love. Usher new album is more underwhelming. At least Maxwell didn't make a "trendy" album.
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Post by asfoster87 on Sept 17, 2016 13:48:23 GMT -5
Looking @ those numbers, I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't get another single. How disappointing.
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Sure Thing
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Post by Sure Thing on Sept 17, 2016 14:08:20 GMT -5
I guess the general perspective of Usher being "done" is a real and honest perspective, even if it isn't accurate.
He has a top 40 hit with No Limit so you can't say he didn't have a hit. I do hear a lot of people in his core audience who would buy his album say that they didn't know he was coming out with one. I think the pushbacks and the general perspective kills him. His old fans are loyal but maybe disengaged and he just needs to stop chasing after hits and just be him now. He's arguably the most talented male R&B artist of the generation and to see him still trying to chase after fanbases isn't what he should be doing at this stage.
I still love this album. It ranks below 8701 and Confessions and is on the same level with Raymond vs. Raymond for me.
"Tell Me" should of been a single above "Rivals". "Rivals" is an album song in my opinion. I lost desire to listen after 5 or so spins. Maybe the album has some residual sales and goes gold after some good word of mouth and promotion.
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Nick
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Post by Nick on Sept 17, 2016 14:15:42 GMT -5
Wow. Maxwell opened with almost 60K, I was expecting around the same for Usher.
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PopLuva
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Post by PopLuva on Sept 17, 2016 14:44:25 GMT -5
dam thats some Ciara level sales.
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Deleted
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Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2016 15:38:54 GMT -5
"Tell Me" should of been a single above "Rivals". "Rivals" is an album song in my opinion. I lost desire to listen after 5 or so spins. Maybe the album has some residual sales and goes gold after some good word of mouth and promotion. If I thought he or RCA were planning to pick up the slack in that regard I might agree with the gold potential, but the promotion for this has been almost nonexistent and I'm not expecting it to pick up post-release Who comes out with an album with no media blitz planned for the release week? The blame is equally placed on him and his label here - his label is clearly not putting any money into this at all, but that's no excuse for Usher not lining up a ton of interviews and performances on his own. The other problem is that he doesn't have a lot of options for UAC and even fewer for pop, and those are the two audiences more likely to buy something if they hear enough songs they like. The contemporary urban demo he's attempting to cater to with this album isn't really an album or single buying group. I definitely agree about Tell Me and Rivals. I didn't realize what a high burn rate the latter had until listening to the album in full - I skip it every time it comes on now. I think his best [only] chances at a sizable hit on any format are Missin U, which has potential to cross over to CHR and not get crappy callout; and Tell Me, which is an urban smash for the ages. Bump maybe? It would be a risky move since that sound isn't in these days, but it does have an 8701 feel to it that might help him more than hurt. Well, there's not much he could do to hurt this era more, is it?
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wavey.
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Post by wavey. on Sept 17, 2016 15:50:40 GMT -5
Holy shit at those numbers.
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think pink.
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Post by think pink. on Sept 17, 2016 16:10:10 GMT -5
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Nick
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Post by Nick on Sept 17, 2016 17:08:02 GMT -5
I know you didn't bring the Supreme Jessica Lange into this mess. lol
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Deleted
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Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2016 17:12:56 GMT -5
Not really that surprised, although I expected him to be closer to 50k. He has an Urban hit but it's so generic and not something I can see casual fans running out to buy his album based on. He would have been better off releasing an album back in 2014.
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Dreams
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Post by Dreams on Sept 17, 2016 17:45:34 GMT -5
dam thats some Ciara level sales. That's what I thought when I saw those sales. Damn. What a disgrace for an icon like Usher. That being said, I agree with Jazzy, those #s are not all that surprising all things considered. I mean, I'm a fan myself and haven't bothered to even check the album yet, let alone purchase it. I can see him starting work on a new record soon.
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#LisaRinna
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Post by #LisaRinna on Sept 17, 2016 17:53:05 GMT -5
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SHOOTER
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Proud internet hater > real-life narcissist. #FreePalestine
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Post by SHOOTER on Sept 17, 2016 19:24:29 GMT -5
Usher debuted at #187 with 6k (270k to date). My Way debuted at #15 with 66k (4.1m to date). Usher Live debuted at #76 with 21k (200k to date). 8701 debuted at #4 with 210k (4.7m to date). Confessions debuted at #1 with 1.096m (10m to date). Here I Stand debuted at #1 with 433k (1.3m to date). Raymond v. Raymond debuted at #1 with 329k (1.3m to date). Versus debuted at #4 with 46k (306k to date). Looking 4 Myself debuted at #1 with 128k (505k to date).
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wavey.
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Post by wavey. on Sept 17, 2016 19:24:50 GMT -5
I blame Usher and RCA. Promo was invisible as hell. Sucks that it's getting good ratings.
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Caviar
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Post by Caviar on Sept 17, 2016 19:40:14 GMT -5
I've been a casual Usher fan since the 90s but I have been buying most of his singles since the since "OMG" and my excitement has been growing ever since. I really enjoyed "Good Kisser" and thought it was his best song in decades so I was sure I'd be checking for him this time around. But honestly if it wasn't for Pulse I'd have no idea he had an album out. I haven't even bothered to check out the album yet and haven't enjoyed anything he put out for this project yet either.
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popbox
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Post by popbox on Sept 17, 2016 20:41:34 GMT -5
The album dropped? What??? I legit knew nothing about it even having the slightest inkling of a release window. I am more shocked it's out than I am at those numbers. Who on earth handled the promo for this? Did he have an era budget of $100 or something?
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Deleted
Joined: January 1970
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2016 21:03:26 GMT -5
The album dropped? What??? I legit knew nothing about it even having the slightest inkling of a release window. I am more shocked it's out than I am at those numbers. Who on earth handled the promo for this? Did he have an era budget of $100 or something? The only thing that makes sense to me, after thinking about it, is that this is his eighth studio album. IDK what kind of contract(s) he had since he's been through no less than four different labels due to folding, but if this is his last contracted album for Sony and he's thinking about moving elsewhere, maybe nobody gives a fuck. That's all I got. I'm grasping at breaking limbs here.
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Rican@
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Post by Rican@ on Sept 17, 2016 21:06:04 GMT -5
We can call this an EP guys. The real album comes out later this year with better numbers, right?
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wavey.
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Post by wavey. on Sept 17, 2016 21:09:38 GMT -5
We can call this an EP guys. The real album comes out later this year with better numbers, right? Yessss. I'm ready for the first single.
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George
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Post by George on Sept 18, 2016 2:21:04 GMT -5
Sad to see those numbers for Usher, as he's been one of the few male R&B artists to have consistent sales. Can't believe his career peak is gonna be the Confessions era, as I believe he still has the potential to either match it or surpass it.
I wonder if doing that U R Experience tour really used up a majority of the promo budget for this project?
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music89
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Post by music89 on Sept 18, 2016 2:21:47 GMT -5
Not really that surprised, although I expected him to be closer to 50k. He has an Urban hit but it's so generic and not something I can see casual fans running out to buy his album based on. He would have been better off releasing an album back in 2014. This. I have been listening to Usher for more than 10 years and I will not buy this album. Random people may buy these trap influenced songs, but won't probably buy this album as well.
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George
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Post by George on Sept 18, 2016 15:32:07 GMT -5
Finally getting to a backlog of DVRed award shows today and watching the BET Honors this year. Usher is such a charmer!
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think pink.
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Post by think pink. on Sept 18, 2016 16:48:06 GMT -5
Why nobody talking about that beat drop in "Missin U" tho?
I wonda' if ur sex iz az good az I assume it'z gon...na' be
Hot as fuck.
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Ivy Leegue™
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Post by Ivy Leegue™ on Sept 18, 2016 18:39:10 GMT -5
I really enjoy this album, as a cohesive whole, with 2 random inspirational songs tacked on at the end (I actually enjoy them though, especially Stronger). To be honest, I have never LOVED an Usher album from start to finish. He always has his share of filler. Hell, I don't even like some of his singles, LOL, but I consider myself a long-time fan and I am fine with this album. His voice sounds great and if he wants to flex a little, then go 'head! I definitely get the Drake comparisons but I actually applaud Usher for staying on trend and not trying to put himself out to pasture by making some album like R Kelly's Love Letter LOL.
My instant standouts: 1. Crash 2. No Limit 3. Bump 4. Tell Me 5. Hard II Love
Edit: 6. Let Me
I feel like Bump or Let Me should be sent to Urban next.
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Caviar
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Post by Caviar on Sept 18, 2016 18:44:22 GMT -5
Need U Missin U Make U A Believer Tell Me Crash6/10 Nothing really stands out on the album but I did get some goosebumps at the opening of "Tell Me". I think that's probably the song I'll add to a playlist. Overall this is an album I would stream and have playing in the background. FWM, Hard II Love and Stronger are terrible.
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allow that
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Post by allow that on Sept 18, 2016 22:38:37 GMT -5
Listened to the album a few times this weekend and I'm not disappointed. After years of messy single attempts and absentee promo, the product itself is still solid. Time will tell where this stacks up among the rest of his albums for me, but as for now I'm enjoying it. The 1-2 punch of "Let Me" and "Downtime" is my favorite spot currently.
But it's sad to see that a LEGEND is falling into dust bin territory so quickly. These numbers are gross. Why can't the industry give this man his due? Like if I hear that he's an iHeartRadio performer one more time before the DJ jumps into "Yeah!" instead of his new single, come on man..
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Relaxing Cup
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Post by Relaxing Cup on Sept 19, 2016 11:25:37 GMT -5
The last song Usher truly made me pop and twerk my ass to was LITTLE FREAK feat Nicki Minaj; I was really hoping for a jam like that on this album : (
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